Cataract problem

[IvorBiggun2]

Went to see, excuse the pun, the local eye doctor tuther day. She confirmed the cataract problem and told me to come back in 6 months time. For that 6 months she gave me eye drops. Vislube (Sodium Hyauronate) 1 drop into both eyes. 4 times daily. Plus Kary Uni (Pirenoxine 0.005%) 1 drop into both eyes 4 times daily.  Total cost 4, 200 Baht, from the government hospital. 

Can some one  please tell me that this eye drop regime is going to benefit me during this coming 6 months? As far as I'm aware medications will not cure cataracts. So am i wasting my time? 

Sorry I forgot to mention I also have to take 1 multivitamin, after food, every morning.

Edited June 12, 2021 by IvorBiggun2

[tifino]

 from experience, the only drops I ever had, were dispensed After the Op...  

 - post op antibiotics...

[ubonjoe]

I cannot see how eye drops could help.

I now have a lens in each eye after the surgery. Both times I went to the same ophthalmologist and he did the exam confirming it and then gave me a appointment for the surgery (after making a deposit) with some drops and meds to do use the day of the surgery.

[IvorBiggun2]

From my Google-ing I can't make sense as to why the doctor gave me 6 months supply of eye drops.  Only conclusion I can think of is that the drops are standard issue procedure prior to an operation. Due to the Covid outbreak, op's have been delayed and I fell into  the  6 month waiting list. Now if there had been no Covid I'd probably only have got meds for the period until I got an op date. I think I fell into a computerised issue of medication me thinks.

[ubonjoe]

I got my most recent one done by my doctor here in Ubon in January. He is set up to them at his clinic to to do them.

[ICELANDMAN]

I suppose you have found a slight cataract so no it does not cure the cataract but it improves the vision of the crystal and which is already a progress and stops the cataract. I had used the Alcon Quinax 6 years ago that had blocked my light cataract until now but unfortunately now they do not do it anymore and it is probable that the drugs they have given are now the substitutes, for me personally they had no effect so I stopped taking them after a month.

Edited June 12, 2021 by ICELANDMAN

[connda]

3 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Vislube (Sodium Hyauronate) 1 drop into both eyes. 4 times daily. Plus Kary Uni (Pirenoxine 0.005%) 1 drop into both eyes 4 times daily. 

Vislube is just for dry eyes.  Pirenoxine is a drug that may counter-act cataracts.  The doc may have put you on this and have you come back in 6 months to check if there is improvement. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirenoxine

Interesting as I'm starting to get them too.  I may look into pirenoxine myself when I see my eye doctor next.

[KarenBravo]

Is the cataract on the lens, or the cornea?

[LosLobo]

Pirenoxine has not been approved in the west for the treatment of cataracts.

In Canada and in the U.S. it is considered homeopathic, probably does no harm but doubtful that it has any healing value.

 

Hyaluronic acid is used for treatment of dry eye but is also used for minimising tissue damage during ophthalmic surgery, eg cataract, corneal grafting, glaucoma and vitreo-retinal surgery

 

Sounds like your doctor is using unorthodox regimes for treatment of your cataracts.

 

I personally had some pain issues using hyaluronic acid for treatment of dry eye, as warned by my medical practitioner.

[IvorBiggun2]

10 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

Is the cataract on the lens, or the cornea?

 

Sorry I dunno.

[Sheryl]

18 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

From my Google-ing I can't make sense as to why the doctor gave me 6 months supply of eye drops.  Only conclusion I can think of is that the drops are standard issue procedure prior to an operation. Due to the Covid outbreak, op's have been delayed and I fell into  the  6 month waiting list. Now if there had been no Covid I'd probably only have got meds for the period until I got an op date. I think I fell into a computerised issue of medication me thinks.

 

i suspect this is the Thai culture of "never send a patient away without medicine" which in turn is based on Thai patient preferences/expectations and the cultural pattern of not wanting to disappoint people. Very commonly, Thai doctors prescribe medications of little or just placebo value, just to show that they "care" as Thai patients will feel not cared for if sent away empty handed.

 

It is not standard issue pre-surgery. The drops will go nothing for your cataracts, need surgery for that and apparently due to COVID there is now an indefinite wait for the surgery. So she just gave you eye drops because she felt she had to give you something or you'd be upset. 

[IvorBiggun2]

43 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

So she just gave you eye drops because she felt she had to give you something or you'd be upset. 

But 6 months worth?????

I agree with everything you've said Sheryl. Yes I'm upset but only cuz I paid out over 4,000 baht for medications that I know to be .............................. with hindsight.  Life is a learning curve.

Edited June 13, 2021 by IvorBiggun2

[bert bloggs]

About 5 yrs ago a private doc told me i had a cataract and neede operation next week also sold  me plenty of eye drops,anyway went to govt hospital,said no way needed operation until cataract far worse ,but also said i had raised eye pressure needed eye drops to stop getting gloucoma,5 yrs later still take drops for eye pressure but never any for cataract, .

[Cake Monster]

OP

What is your Location ?

[IvorBiggun2]

14 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

OP

What is your Location ?

 Nang Rong

[lopburi3]

FYI:  Vislube is a very expensive medication for dry eyes - but very effective in my experience.  Did they check your eyes for dryness (it is a timed patch on eye as I recall to measure liquid) but if they did not mention dry eyes suspect not.  

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

But 6 months worth?????

I agree with everything you've said Sheryl. Yes I'm upset but only cuz I paid out over 4,000 baht for medications that I know to be .............................. with hindsight.  Life is a learning curve.

She went through the medication with you in your appointment?.........did she <deleted>, maybe she likes giving surprises

Edited June 13, 2021 by scubascuba3

[IvorBiggun2]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

She went through the medication with you in your appointment?

No. Only time I found out about the medication was when the hospital pharmacist gave  them to me after I'd paid the bill. Too late then to refuse 6 months of meds.

[scubascuba3]

4 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

No. Only time I found out about the medication was when the hospital pharmacist gave  them to me after I'd paid the bill. Too late then to refuse 6 months of meds.

Same as all hospitals, asked to pay the bill before you know what the charges are. Personally I always ask to see the medication list and itemised bill before i pay, live and learn

[IvorBiggun2]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I always ask to see the medication list and itemised bill before i pay, live and learn

 Life is a learning curve

 

[GreasyFingers]

I can only talk from personal experience having cataracts for 15 years. Very good optometrist in Oz (different profession to those in Thailand). Kept a check on them until one needed surgery 3 years ago and the second one delayed due to covid. Never in all of that time were drops needed.

[sanuk711]

I had my Lens (both) Replaced about 10 years ago Ivan--when they say surgery, it really is less obtrusive then going to a dentist-- other than the fact that they would like you to stay one night, to insure there is no infection, also told to keep well away from swimming pools for at least a few weeks. 

I don't know what the cost is privately now, but it may be worth inquiring--I take it your not insured.

  Its great once its done--I have never worn glasses since---and I'm well into the 70s

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

I had my Lens (both) Replaced about 10 years ago Ivan--when they say surgery, it really is less obtrusive then going to a dentist-- other than the fact that they would like you to stay one night, to insure there is no infection, also told to keep well away from swimming pools for at least a few weeks. 

I don't know what the cost is privately now, but it may be worth inquiring--I take it your not insured.

  Its great once its done--I have never worn glasses since---and I'm well into the 70s

Privately runs from 50-55 to 80k per eye (except Bumrungrad where it's about 100K).

 

that assumes standard lens implant.

[ubonjoe]

Mine were done at a optometrists clinic. Had to arrive an hour or so before scheduled surgery for them to do eye drops to deaden my eye so would not feel any pain. Was in and on my way back home in a couple of hours or so.

Went back the next day for a check that everything was good.

Cost for each one was 24k baht.

[LosLobo]

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Mine were done at a optometrists clinic.

I assume that the person who performed the surgery was an ophthalmologist.

 

I found it strange that ophthalmologists dispense prescriptions for spectacles in Thailand but an optometrist performing cataract surgery is beyond the pale.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, LosLobo said:

I assume that the person who performed the surgery was an ophthalmologist.

 

I found it strange that ophthalmologists dispense prescriptions for spectacles in Thailand but an optometrist performing cataract surgery is beyond the pale.

That was a typo or spell check error. If you look at my first post in this topic you will see I wrote ophthalmologist.